The present invention relates in general to a three-phase centrifugal separator for a mixture which may include such things as oil, water, gas and/or solids. The separator includes a rotor into which the mixture is delivered and which establishes an inner, axial gas phase, an intermediate annular oil phase encircling the gas phase, and an annular outer water and solids phase which encircles the oil phase, gas, oil, and water and solids being drawn off from the respective phases.
Prior art known to us consists of the following U.S. patents.
Pat. No. Patentee Issue Date ______________________________________ 499,346 Peck June 13, 1893 958,770 Richardson May 24, 1910 1,158,959 Beach Nov. 2, 1915 2,067,273 Knowles et al Jan. 12, 1937 2,534,210 Schutte et al Dec. 12, 1950 3,081,027 Coulson March 12, 1963 3,202,347 Thurman Aug. 24, 1965 3,204,868 Honeychurch Sept. 7, 1965 3,396,910 Steinacker Aug. 13, 1968 3,410,481 Dahlberg et al Nov. 12, 1968 3,445,061 Nilson May 20, 1969 3,752,389 Nilsson Aug. 14, 1973 ______________________________________